Priceline Hotel: 3.5* NYC (Downtown-Soho-Financial) World Center Hotel

[nita]

Hi, my colleague and I are traveling to New York and are looking for a hotelroom from Wednesday December 8. - Monday December 13. (5 nights) I am new at this and have been bidding on Priceline (using the link on this website) last week but none of my bids have been accepted. After reading the stefan1812, roughly for the same dates, post and win of the Roosevelt for $110.00 I just tried splitting our stay too and bidding, going up to $ 120.00 and still not getting accepted :) What am I doing wrong? Do you have any suggestions please?

Here's what I've tried sofar:

1st session: 12/8 - 12/13 | 4*

- MW: $160

+ ME: $162

+ TSQ: $164

+ CI: $166

+ Chelsea: $168

+ LIC: $170

+ UES: $172

2nd session: 12/8 - 12/13 | 4*

- MW: $175

+ ME: $177

+ TSQ: $179

+ CPS: $180

+ ESB: $182

+ Chelsea: $184

+ CI: $185

+ LIC: $187

+ UES: $ 189

3rd session: 12/8 - 12/13 | 3,5*

- ESB: $125

+ MSG: $127

+ CPS: $130

+ ME: $132

+ Chelsea: $135

+ CI: $137

+ LIC: $139

+ UES: $141

+ TSQ: $145

+ MW: $147

Then today I tried: 12/08 - 12/11 | 3,5* | ME $110 not accepted | added MSG $110 not accepted | added ESB $110 not accepted | added CI $115 not accepted and last but not least added Chelsea $120 not accepted

Changed the dates from 12/10 - 13/12 (last 3 nights of our stay and still no luck!)

[AaronJB]

Good morning. :)

NYC is busy in December leading up to Christmas, but there's a point around mid-month where rates do start to calm down somewhat. However, earlier in December is still quite busy. Rates can vary from day-to-day; if the dates are not exactly the same, then rates and availability (especially in a city like NYC) can vary quite a bit. While there is definitely some variation, the 12th appears to be the turning point for rates at many hotels, as rates for the previous set of dates are somewhat-to-quite a bit more expensive and rates on HOTWIRE for the 12th-19th unfortunately look quite a bit less than the 5th-12th.

What would be your desired max budget per night for this stay?

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[nita]

Hi, what do you think would be realistic based on experience for the dates that we're travelling? Our max. budget per night would be $180 I think

[thereuare]

Unfortunately you're right on the cusp of the rate change but fall before "the drop".

At the moment i think you're likely looking at ~$225 for a 3.5* property for your dates. What is the best deal you're able to find thru conventional booking channels for this stay?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[nita]

Just my luck LOL ... I checked hotel the hotel website for 3,5* Affinia Manhattan during that period f.i. and the price ranges from $360 - $ 433 and Affinia Dumont which is listed as a 4* which ranges from $ 397 - $ 499. Checked a lot of others too but had not written the rates down

[thereuare]

So what are your thoughts/gameplan from here?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[nita]

I have no game plan at the moment. The prices kinda freaked me out a little and I don't know what to do: hold on to the 5 nights and bid? or split in 3/2 or 2/3? Drop the starlevel to 3* (what would be realistic then?) If anyone has some more advice it would be most welcome! In the meantime I'm trying to find a reasonable back-up hotel to book.

[thereuare]

Are the dates firm? (ie- plane tix purchased and/or time off from work) or would it be possible to change to a week or two later?

Are you flying into the area or how will you be arriving? Will you have a car? Have you been to NYC before?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[nita]

Hi again, yes unfortunately the dates are firm. I'm flying in from the Netherlands together with a colleague. I have been to NYC before but she hasn't and we have no car I'm afraid.

[nita]

Update: think will have to update max budget to 200 - 220 for that period, is that realistic??

[AaronJB]

Based upon the rates I'm seeing, $200-225 may still be difficult at the 4* level (although is worth trying), but may be enough for the 3.5* level.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[nita]

Using your PRICELINE link, I just tried bidding on 3,5* up to $215 but still no go. Used up all my free re-bid possibilities so I'll try again tomorrow...

[thereuare]

Exactly which zone(s) and star level did you bid?

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

[nita]

I bid as follows:

3,5* ESB $200

added MSG $201

added TSQ $202

added ME $203

added MW $205

added CPS $206

added Chel $207

added CI $208

added LIC $209

added UES $215

[thereuare]

From your bidding your objective is a 3.5* or better hotel in any of the following zones:

ESB, MSG, TS, MTE, MTW, CPS

Are you willing to spend a bit more time on bidding? If so, you can certainly improve upon your bidding strategy.

Let us know and we'll advise according. As well, do you intend to increase your maximum bid or keep it at $215 for the time being?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[nita]

Hi, yes I still have time so I'm willing to spend some more time bidding (though patience isn't my strong suite really ....) My max is 215/220. Thought I'd give it a try up to 215 yesterday to see what would happen. I thought a 4* for that price would be virtually impossible (?) so I went for 3,5* straight away. Anywhere in the zones mentioned above would be fine, CPS being the least fav. in that list. Thanks in advance!

[thereuare]

At the 3.5* level you have FOUR re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3.5* ESB, MSG, TS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MTW, CPS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MSG, TS...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* ESB, MTW, CPS...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* ESB, MTW, TS...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MSG, CPS...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* ESB, MSG, CPS...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $190, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MTW, TS...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $190, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MTW, TS, ESB, MSG...

Bid $195, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE, MTW, TS, ESB, CPS...

Bid $195, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* ESB, MSG, TS,MTE, MTW, CPS...

Bid $200, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $210, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $220

Any questions feel free to ask.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[nita]

Hi again, thank you for making this so easy for me! Tonight, I followed your instructions to a T but no luck :) All bids were rejected.

Do you have any suggestions on how to go from here? Should I try again tomorrow following the same procedure? Wait a couple of days and try again? Or do you have another suggestion perhaps?

Thanks again for all your help! Its greatly appreciated.

[AaronJB]

I'd wait a few (3-5) days and try again. Unfortunately, if your bids are not being accepted at these levels, your choices are either to wait and try again and hope inventory opens up or to bid higher. I would continue to keep an eye on rates - both on HOTWIRE and regular rates - and watching for changes. I would be pretty persistent in terms of trying to lock something in for these dates within your desired budget - I would not try to wait until the last minute.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[nita]

Alright, I'll give it a few days and try again. Will keep you posted! Thanks!

[AaronJB]

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links and for keeping us updated. Please let us know if you have any questions.

[nita]

I had some free time this afternoon, impatient as I am :) I decided to give it another try. I used the PRICELINE link you provided and bid on a 3,5* hotel. I checked the hotwire rates as well as the hotel rates through ebookers/Expedia and hotel websites again and re-thought the matter, deciding to add a little more to my budget to a max. of $230.

bid 1: $ 200 - 3,5* - MW

bid 2: $ 205 - 3,5* - MW + CPS

bid 3: $ 210 - 3,5* - MW + CPS + ESB

bid 4: $ 215 - 3,5* - MW + CPS + ESB + MTE

bid 5: $ 220 - 3,5* - MW + CPS + ESB + MTE + MSG

bid 6: $ 225 - 3,5* - MW + CPS + ESB + MTE + MSG + TS

bid 7: $ 230 - 3,5* - MW + CPS + ESB + MTE + MSG + TS + Downtown

The $ 230 bid got accepted!!! I won the World Center Hotel for 5 nights from December 8. - December 13. I am happy to have found accommodations in the 3,5* category which is reasonably within budget and I don't have to worry about it anymore now.

Thank you so much for all your help here! When traveling to the States again, I'll be sure to re-vist this website and do my bidding with PRICELINE through your links!

Cheers!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're happy with the results and have gotten this stay settled. For future bidding note that you added Downtown (not a re-bid zone... a "live" zone) at the end of your bidding, which is typically not how you want to bid as it can result in an overbid. Given the high rates for your dates not sure how much it may have mattered, but something to know for any future bidding.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[nita]

Hi, thanks good tip! had not thought of that, think it has been a good deal since the hotel regular prices according to their website for that periode are between $303-$349 for a room. Although downtown would not have been my first choice, I'm happy with the hotel I have won as Manhattan is do-able from anywhere I have been told ... Will keep it in mind for next time though!

[JB0715]

I've stayed at the Millennium Hilton a few times and that is very close to your hotel....it's generally a safe/clean area and you can get everywhere you need to either via subway or taxi. You are also close to Brooklyn, so maybe spend a day there as well.....thanks for providing all of the details on your purchase. It was interesting to follow. Your hotel looks very nice as well. Enjoy your trip.